On Wednesday 11 May 2016, during the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the International Indigenous Peoples’ Forum on Climate Change (IIPFCC) co-hosted a side event to report on indigenous peoples’ participation in UNFCCC COP 21 and reflect on the outcomes and achievements of their advocacy and engagement. Panellists were welcomed by a full house and a number of viewers joining via live webcast.

Five years ago, the Kenyan farmer Kisilu Musya started to use his camera to document his family, his village and the impact that climate change is having on both. They face floods, droughts, storms and when Kisilu’s house is destroyed by a storm, Kisilu starts a communal farmers’ movement and calls for action against the extreme consequences of the weather. Despite all the resistance Kisilu meets he makes it far in his struggle – all the way to both Oslo and the COP21 in Paris. The film is a story of hope from the frontline of climate change

The energy and excitement around COP 23 in Bonn is beyond expectations – and still growing. Participation is higher than expected and we are about to enter the intensive period of high-level events. This means that there may be challenges associated with accommodating all participants in the available facilities at certain peak times.

The purpose of this message is to bring to the attention of event organizers and invited speakers that in the coming days the high levels of participation may necessitate limitations on access to the Bonn Zone. Special efforts are being implemented to facilitate the entry of speakers to the premises in times of over-crowding, recognizing that the safety and security of all participants is our first priority.

In this context, event organizers are invited to take note of the following information, which is especially relevant in times when access to the premises is limited due to reaching the maximum capacity:

- Provision has been made to enable speakers and event organizers to enter the premises (this does not apply to entourages).- In order to ensure speakers and event organizers can enter the premises, organizers are requested to provide an agenda with a full list of speakers by 17:00 the day before the event as well as a contact telephone number. Please fill in the attached list. - Special welcome points will be established at both points of entry to the Bonn Zone where speakers and organizers can present themselves to be cleared for entry. Entry procedures would be facilitated by presentation of the related event program or invitation. Please look for signs reading: “Access Speakers for Side Events”. The welcome points are only opened in case of high participation.- Speakers and organizers are kindly requested to come to the venue as early as possible and to allow at least 1 hour to clear the entrance procedures before the events start.

We would appreciate it if you could share the information with all speakers of your event.

With these arrangements, UNFCCC and the Government of Germany are confident that the success of the multitude of events showcasing climate action, and commitment to objectives of the Convention and the Paris Agreement will be assured.

September 11-12 2017, Indigenous Peoples from all regions met with States, UN bodies (UNFCCC and UNESCO) in Ottawa Canada to continue discussing the implementation of operative paragraph 135 of the United Nations Paris Agreement. OP 135 recognizes the need to strengthen Indigenous Peoples’ “knowledge, practices, innovations and efforts” and also calls for the development of a new Traditional Knowledge Exchange Platform to mitigate Climate Change.

In this and other dialogues, IITC has continued to call upon States to change the policies and practices that undermine Indigenous Peoples ability to practice and protect their traditional knowledge in their homelands. These include industrial agriculture using GMO’s and pesticides, habitat destruction, restrictions on access to traditional lands and water, Treaty violations and continued fossil fuel development, as well as failure to implement Indigenous Peoples’ rights to Free Prior and Informed Consent and Cultural Heritage, among others.

IITC also continued to underscore the need to include Indigenous Traditional Knowledge holders, elders and practitioners in the development and implementation of the new Exchange Platform. For example the participants in the 3rd International Indigenous Peoples Corn Conference, March 7 – 9, 2017, Tecpan, Guatemala, affirmed “that the new Platform for Traditional Knowledge Exchange under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is developed with the full and equal participation of Indigenous Peoples from all regions and especially our knowledge holders and traditional food producers and in a manner that fully respects our rights, traditional indigenous sciences and the richness of our ancestral knowledge” (from The Declaration of Tecpán).

The development of the Traditional Knowledge Exchange Platform will be a focus for IITC’s and other Indigenous Peoples’ participation in the 23rd Conference of the Parties of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change which will take place in Bonn Germany from November 6-17, 2017.

OPEN LETTER OF SUPPORT FOR Mr. RODION SULYANDZIGA

Our Brother Mr. RODION SULYANDZIGA, a well-known Indigenous Peoples Activist had been arrested in the early hours on Sunday December 11, 2016. Police conducted a search in the apartment and Sulyandziga was brought in for questioning at the Konkovo district police department.

Rodion Sulyandziga speaking at the UN conference on indigenous peoples in New York. Photo from the Facebook page of Indigenous Russia

He was released later on Sunday, but his computer has since been seized by the police.

Mr. Rodion runs the Moscow-based Center for Support of Indigenous Peoples of the North, an NGO known for providing training and development in capacity building and institution strengthening.

His work continues to benefit international movements for Indigenous Peoples’ rights, climate change, and environmental protection. IIPFCC believes that he must be allowed to continue this important work

A message from Jesse Young, Office of the Special Envoy for Climate Change, U.S. Department of State: Please join U.S. Special Envoy for Climate Change Jonathan Pershing for an after-action conference call with civil society organizations on the outcomes of COP-22 in Marrakesh, Morocco. For both those that joined us in Morocco and those that did not, this call will be a useful opportunity to discuss the lay of the land now that the meeting has wrapped.

Prayer circle in solidarity with the Standing Rock Tribe in front of the UNFCCC Conference site on November 15th, 2016 in Marrakech, Morocco. Photo credit: Kayla Faith

By India Logan-Riley, Aotearoa, Pacific Indigenous Peoples Delegation

The first Conference of the Parties since the creation and entering into force of the Paris Agreement has come to a close. Although there are many aspects of the negotiations that concern the International Indigenous Peoples Forum on Climate Change, this particular CoP has seen large step forward for our engagement with the UNFCCC process.

As of the closing plenary, the Local Communities and Indigenous Peoples platform was made official. The CoP President announced the following decision regarding the platform:

• To adopt an incremental approach to developing the local communities and indigenous peoples platform, referred to in decision 1/CP.21 paragraph 135, with a view to ensuring its effective operationalization;

• To request the Chair of the SBSTA to initiate the process to develop the local communities and indigenous peoples platform, which will include convening an open multi-stakeholder dialogue at SBSTA 46 on the operationalization of the platform to be co-moderated by the Chair of the SBSTA and a representative of indigenous peoples organizations;

• To invite Parties and other stakeholders to submit, by 31 March 2017, their views on the purpose, content and structure of the platform in order to inform the multi-stakeholder dialogue;

• To request the secretariat to prepare a report on the multi-stakeholder dialogue, which should also draw on the submissions;

• To also request the SBSTA to consider the report at SBSTA 47 under a new agenda item "local communities and indigenous peoples platform" and conclude its consideration at SBSTA 47 by forwarding recommendations for operationalization of the platform to COP23.

This process over the last two weeks has not been smooth. There were times when we had to remind those involved that Indigenous Peoples in a way that is consistent with UNDRIP and other international legal expectations. However, we applaud the commitment to actioning this platform and look forward to the full, effective and meaningful partnership with the UNFCCC moving forward.

Last session of the Indigenous Peoples Caucus at COP 22 held in Marrakech, Morocco, November 18, 2016

A message from Adelfo Regino, Latin American Caucus: During the last session of the Indigenous Peoples Caucus at COP 22, held in Marrakech, Morocco, we had a dialogue with government representatives from Ecuador, Guatemala and Australia.

In this meeting we have be made aware of the proposal being made by the President of COP 22 regarding the establishment of a “Local Communities and Indigenous Peoples Platform” in this Climate Change process. I have attached the text, which is only available in English. We are looking for a way to translate into Spanish.

We will be attentive to the evolution of the negotiations in this last day of session. Let's hope there's good news for the Indigenous Peoples of the world.

By Genevieve Northey

On Wednesday, 16th November, the Women and Gender Caucus held the second Indigenous Womens’ Day at COP22. All seven regions of the world was represented in the room, with a panel discussion taking place with women from the Arctic, Pacific, Latin America Africa and Asia speaking on their own experiences from the home region.

Although from different and diverse regions of the world, the themes had the common thread of protecting their environment and culture to preserve their way life. The speakers also reiterated the importance of Indigenous women having a space in which to participate in a meaningful way with their governments and in high-level discussions, like those taking place at COP22, on the issue of climate change.

Indigenous women are proud to be part of the solution for Climate Change, through their traditional knowledge and infinity with the environment, which has been passed down through the generations.

The group called on more capacity building funds for indigenous women, so they may participate fully in the high-level meetings and negotiations with the required technical skills. They also called on the need to involve more young indigenous women to come forward and join the constituency to be present to carry the torch forward into the future.